Ancestry.co.uk woeful DNA service

kuepper

A few months ago Ancestry started limiting the number of matches shared with other relatives you could see to 3. At the time it said you could see the rest of the shared matches by signing up to DNAPlus at £14.99 for 6 months. As I very rarely get any significant new matches it seemed pointless signing up for that until I got a significant new match as I already knew the shared matches for my existing matches. I have just had a match for which I'd like to see all the shared matches for so I tried to sign up for DNAPlus by clicking on the button to see those extra matches. However it just invited me to take up a membership of UK and Ireland historical records as well as some additional DNA features and the cost is £13.99 per month. I don't want to be able to access UK and Ireland records I just want to be able to access my matches and shared matches so it's pointless me paying for that, it's like having to pay for a 3 course meal when all you want is a cup of tea.

I've spent hours on the phone trying to sort this out with their so-called customer services which are obviously not based in the UK and only seemed familiar with services available to US subscribers. I was originally told there was a glitch on the UK website that would be resolved in 24 hours. Having allowed several days today I was told that DNAPlus is only available to order over the phone which is ridiculous as I am not prepared to spend money without being able to see in writing what the service actually is and what the t&c are.

I asked 'customer services' how to complain and was told I had to either write to a corporate office in the USA or use a feedback form which I used but it doesn't give me much confidence that anything will ever happen as it doesn't even promise a response and I've not received any acknowledgement. I would much prefer an email address but was told there wasn't one and I checked the Resolver site and there's nothing listed for Ancestry there. It seems like they just want to take money without worrying what kind of service they provide.

RAS

Be interested to see how your complaint pans out.

I do have a UK subscription because until very recently I've been actively pursuing various DNA links and we have two quite recent brick walls. It states that DNAPlus is being rolled out gradually, which I guess means they have a vast number of people who've tested but aren't active. So they are trying to manage the load that might be cause by a lot of testers taking up the offer. 

Given the huge percentage who don't actually bother with any tree at all, I'd be surprised if that many are interested.

You might be better contacting one of the British FH magazines who no doubt reported this offer to British readers and don't know it hard to even get in real life.

kuepper

Sorrt but I don't know - what does FH stand for?

Ancestry shouldn't have closed off access to all shared matches, it's free at the other DNA sites MyHeritage and 23andme. Their customer services never mentioned anything about a roll out to me. I'm trying to find out the ID of my Polish father and I'm reliant on access to all my shared matches to find links between relatives in order to build trees down instead of up. Then try to find a descendant in the right place and time to have been my father.

RAS

FH= Family History.

So Family Tree nag, Who Do You Think You Are.

Lost the edit.

Query as to why your chosen option is not displayed?

"AncestryDNA plus is in a gradual release phase which is not open to all Ancestry members".